Vehicle electronics are powered using a battery. For example, it is not uncommon for an engine on a construction machine to be controlled by an electronic control module or ECM. The ECM typically includes a microprocessor, sensor circuitry and actuator circuitry. All of the electronics are powered by the machine's battery or batteries.
A construction machine is a harsh environment. Typically, power is applied to the electronics through connectors. If a connector is incorrectly connected, battery voltage is incorrectly applied to the electronics, i.e., reverse polarity. This can cause damage to the electronics and result in increased downtime to effect repairs. The typical solution is to include a diode in the current path from the battery to the electronics. The diode allows current to flow only in one direction and only if power is correctly applied. However, there is an inherent voltage drop across the diode when it is conducting current. Since the diode is always conducting current during normal operation, this results in an unnecessary power loss.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.